Breaking the Wall
by Frostbreaker
Summary: It is a lesson we all learn early; life is unfair. Oftentimes life gives little to nothing back to reward those who make it through her trials, but that does not keep the strong from hoping. When life itself hangs in the balance, we realize just how precious it is, and it can help us to realize that which we have overlooked many times before.
1. Prologue: Bittersweet Dreams

**A/N: Hey there, everyone. Frostbreaker here with a rather random line of inspiration brought about by a deviantART artist known as johnjoseco, and his art titled "Oh AJ...". Check it out if you want a visual representation of this first scene. Anyhow, as always, please R&R and let me know what you think.**

**I wish to stress that this is _not_ an AJxMac pairing.**

**All characters are humanized.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters associated with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, nor the original story.**

* * *

Prologue: Bittersweet Dreams

The warm summer's night held the land in its comforting embrace, holding the lush earth and air in the grasp of a lover. The symphony of evening played its number, each animal doing its part, and each adding to the familiar atmosphere.

Small dancing lights flashed in a passionate waltz around each other, while the clear sky gave way to the full moon overhead. It was a perfect night...a beautiful night. The chorus of life played its lullaby to the sleeping inhabitants of the small town of Ponyville, lulling them into quiet slumber as the lunar guardian watched over them from the sky.

* * *

A lone fenced path near the outskirts of the town guided two souls home through the night, towards their large plot of land that held Ponyville's Sweet Apple Acres. It was the pride and joy of the Apple family, who worked the land diligently to provide themselves and the town with valuable produce, as well as a historical landmark that added character to the whole town.

Thick work boots stepped across the earth quietly as the pair made their way to the home that awaited them in the distance. Though the gait of the strong legs was long, it was heavy, and trudging. The gait itself spoke of heartache, and pain that plagued he that made it. The dark blue denim pants that covered the legs stretched a bit with every step of the powerful legs, and the red shirt that covered the torso was torn in a few places as blood stained the marred patches.

The man sighed sadly as he chewed on a sprig of hay within his mouth, the small tuft of dried vegetation seeming to be the only thing that grounded him at the time...for at the moment, his mind and heart was assaulted by the sound of quiet sobs of pain...both physically and of the heart.

"Ah...Ah don' know why th-they gotta hate 'er s-so much!" a woman sobbed, her cries twisting the gut of the man she clung to as he carried her back home. "Th-they're jus' doin' it 'cause she can' d'fend herself!"

Again he sighed, and continued down the dirt path, trying to keep his own tears from falling. Instead, he focused on what he _could_ do to better the situation. He was a man of few words, opting to say only what he meant, and never any more...so he thought hard and chose his words carefully before speaking.

After a moment, he tightened his grip under his passenger's knees, and whispered, "Ah miss her too, AJ."

Those five simple words spoke all that the woman needed to hear, conveying every emotion she had been truly feeling, and reassuring her that she was _not_ alone.

She tightened her hold across his chest and cried harder, while he continued down the dirt path, the bright moon guiding the way.

* * *

The front door to the rustic farmhouse offered not even a squeak of resistance as the pair entered, as if it sensed the seriousness within the air. Tears still fell in the wake of the duo, but thankfully for the blonde mass of heartbreak, there was no others awake to witness it.

"C'mon AJ...up ta bed." the man spoke softly, slipping off his boots next to the door before hauling himself and his charge up the short flight of stairs.

Upon arriving at the top, he promptly turned right and continued walking, before stopping in front of a door with three red apples decorating it. He pushed the door open with his knee and walked inside, hearing faint snores from behind him.

The tall, orange-haired man sat down on the bed in the room, releasing the woman's legs and gently prying her arms apart before standing again and moving her so that her head was nestled comfortably on the pillow. He then gently removed the worn boots she wore, along with the beloved hat hung around her neck, placing them in their places beside the bed itself.

As he again stood beside the bed, he frowned at the sleeping figure, noting the troubled lines on her face. He leaned down to the bed and kissed the forehead of the woman, rubbing the spot lightly with his thumb as he stood.

"Ah love ya, sis...and Ah'll never leave ya by yerself. Ah swear." he whispered lovingly as he stood again.

Just as he pulled away, a grip of fingers on his wrist stopped him, and he looked to see two emerald eyes pleading with him silently.

He only nodded, concluding the silent conversation they had before leaving the room.

* * *

The large-framed man quickly washed the dirt and blood off of his body, as well as the sweat of the day, paying special attention to the large scrape upon his forearm, which was mottled with dirt and gravel.

A rather large grunt of pain escaped his lips as he brushed the abrasion with a rag, removing the particles that were embedded within it before dousing it in alcohol. He hissed in pain as the disinfectant did its work, and once the burn subsided, he went about wrapping a roll of gauze around the cleaned wound.

After thoroughly tending to himself, he looked into the mirror, analyzing his rough, scarred skin. The life of one who works a farm was a difficult one, but also one he took pride in. Every scar was a memory, some good, some bad...yet every one taught another lesson he remembered to this day. He then looked to the newly bandaged wounds that would heal into new scars, and thought for a moment about the lesson they had taught.

'_AJ's not as strong as she acts.'_

As much as he hated to admit it to himself, it was a truth that became all the more apparent today. Even with all the hardship they had been through as a family, he never coddled or "babied" the elder of his two younger sisters. It was her pride in the strength of her body and heart that kept him from doing so, as well as her self-made image she had constructed as a hardworking, honest, no-nonsense girl.

'_Guess the dam's finally startin' to crack.'_

It was no secret among his immediate family that he was the heart and soul of them. Quiet, stoic, and often misunderstood in public, he was in fact deeply loving, wise, and understanding. Only his family knew who he truly was on the inside, and he aimed to keep it that way. Today had been a reminder that most of the rest of the world didn't care at all, and that they only had each other to rely upon. Family became all the more important because of incidents like these, and it reminded him that when it came right down to it, it truly was them against the world.

He sighed once more before turning off the light and heading to his room.

* * *

Dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank top, he again made his way the room that was marked with a trio of red apples, and softly knocked on the door before entering.

"AJ?" he whispered.

"Ah'm here..." came a sniffling, subdued answer.

He opened the door and stepped into the dark room, closing the door behind him. The moonlight from the window cast a beam of ivory light onto the lone bed against the wall, which harbored a cleaned and dressed-down blonde woman, her emerald eyes shining with tears in the soft light. Her knees were pulled to her chest as her arms stay wrapped around them, and she simply stared out of the single window of the room.

"Mac..." she whispered, her tone nearly overflowing with emotion.

Wordlessly, the man made his way to the bed and sat down against the wall it bordered, and wrapped his strong arms around his sister as she climbed into his lap. Again, she began dripping silent tears of agony, and he allowed his eyes to wander over the many bandages she herself had because of today. The anger within him flared, but he fought it down...vengeance never solved anything. Not only that, but Applejack was still young enough to be impressed upon, and he didn't want to set such a bad example for her.

The girl shifted in his grasp, laying her face against his chest as she sniffled a few times. "Mac...Ah don't know if Ah can keep doin' this to mahself." Again she sniffled before adding, "It's been a long time, an' it ain't changed nothin'."

He set his chin atop her head as he rocked her slowly back and forth, whispering, "Y'all can't give up now, sis. She's gonna need ya more than ever when she wakes up..."

"_If_ she wakes up..." she shot back bitterly.

He sighed and rubbed his hand on her back. "No sis, _when_. Ya can't give up on her...she wouldn't give up on you."

She let out a shuddering sigh as he felt her head nod against him. "Ah know...Ah'm sorry, yer right."

He was silent for a long few moments before asking, "Ya still love her...dontcha?"

Without hesitation, he nodded. "Always...more than anything."

Attempting to lighten the mood, the man grinned down at her and replied, "More than yer big brother?"

His tactic worked, and she let a small smile cross her face. "Ah said any_thing_, not any_one_. Mah fam'ly always comes first...she knew that when she met me." The smile vanished for a moment as she asked, "Ya really think she's gonna be alright?"

The strongest Apple, Big Macintosh, nodded. "Eeyup. She's always been too darn stubborn ta go out like this. Doctors say she's always gettin' stronger, so don't you fret none. Ah reckon next phone call we get will be them tellin' us she's some kinda medical miracle or somethin'."

She nodded, but didn't respond otherwise as she began to shift, laying down on the bed. He followed her, never once releasing his grasp from his sister.

Applejack reveled in his embrace. She had remembered that when she was just a little girl, she could always be sure her brother would be there if she had nightmares or a bad day, and just like tonight, he would hold her tightly...grounding her and reminding her that she was loved, and was far from alone in the world. Just like her brother, it was a truth she had learned...the world was cruel, many times without reason or provocation. However, no matter what, she knew she could rest assured that her family would _always_ be there to keep her safe, especially her brother. It was an odd bond she shared with him, somewhere between a sibling and a father, though like neither one. Truthfully, she didn't care to think about it...it didn't matter to her. All that mattered was him, and the love and safety he provided to her.

She felt her eyes begin to droop finally as her tears dried, and she whispered, "Ah love ya, Mac."

She felt his arms tighten slightly around her as he muttered, "Ah love ya too, sis. Get some sleep."

As the darkness of sleep closed in, she didn't feel fear or hesitation. She knew without a doubt that together, they could fight off whatever shadows came after them. With that last thought in mind, she finally surrendered to her exhaustion, falling asleep moments later.

Big Mac gazed lovingly at his sister before planting a soft kiss upon her head. "G'night sis...Ah hope ya have good dreams tonight." He then sighed and closed his eyes, following her into the realm of dreams soon after.


	2. Ch 1: For the Eyes

**A/N: Good evening, readers. I've brought with me a fine chapter, and some fine Tennessee Honey, courtesy of Jack Daniels. Oh what's that, you want some?**

**NO, CAN'T HAZ!**

**Anyway, another chapter comes, and I do hope you enjoy, Please read and review.**

**To Alya Spruce - There's plenty of backstory to come, so don't fret. Read on.**

**To ThawtPolice - Any good chapter will have the reader/writer wrapped around the emotions of it, as it should be. There is a lot of backstory to this plot, so make sure to pay attention so you don't miss anything. Enjoy.**

**To wg12290 - Got a lot to work on, but I love it all. Other stories are coming as well.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters associated with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, nor the original story.**

* * *

Chapter 1: For the Eyes

The sun crested the horizon, warmly greeting the land and those that lived upon it as an old friend. Its rays of life-giving light and warmth breathed energy and life into the morning world, and it welcomed the early-morning people who were heading to work, giving them a bright day to look forward to.

Well...most people.

In the fields of Sweet Apple Acres, the Apple family were tending to their morning chores. Young Applebloom fed the chickens, cows, and pigs while she watched her two older siblings till the land and attend to their crops. As her eyes wandered to her older sister, a worrying expression on her face. Though young, she was observant enough to know that something had been deeply troubling her sister for the past few weeks. She believed that maybe it had something to do with the vacation her sister's friend had gone on...maybe she missed her. Regardless, she could tell that Applejack didn't want to talk about it at the moment, so she let it be.

Big Macintosh, by his token, was also worried for AJ, though he knew _exactly_ what bothered her. Even if he hadn't been keenly observant of how the girl felt, the two told each other everything. Over the years of growing up, this had led to quite a few awkward conversations, and more than once, he'd had to ask Granny Smith for information or read a book, but even with all that being the case, he wouldn't change it. It allowed the two of them to be closer than most people thought possible, and the trust they shared was boundless. With that being the case, he knew _exactly_ what his sister felt like, as well as the constant worries that ran through her head.

The eldest Apple sibling watched his two sisters as he inspected the beloved apple trees for damage, also spraying a homemade organic pesticide over the pride and joy of the Apple family. Though Applejack seemed to work just as she always did, pruning the extra branches off of the apple trees, he could tell she was still stressed.

'_Then again, who wouldn't be?'_ he thought gravely.

"Mail's here!" shouted Applebloom as she ran up to him, her baggy overalls nearly coming off of her as she did so.

He chuckled at the sight and nodded with a smile, taking the small stack of envelopes from her. "Thanks, 'Bloom. Now git back ta work. If ya finish early, y'all can play with yer friends b'fore supper." The young girl flashed him a bright, warming smile before sprinting off to the barn again.

Big Mac just shook his head with a smile as he looked over the handful he held, and began going through it. Most of it was pretty standard: a few bills, a letter from his cousin in Appleloosa, and a few advertisement papers from local businesses...but a shiny golden envelope caught his eye. What was stranger was that the letter was addressed to him. It wasn't until he flipped the shiny envelope over that he noticed a wax seal that held it closed...one he knew well by now.

'_The royal seal.'_

He frowned as he placed the other mail in his pants pocket, and silently wondered to himself what the princess would need of _him_ specifically. Being an Element of Harmony, his sister received letters at least once a month from one of the diarchs, normally Celestia, but he'd never seen one actually for _him_. The thought of what it could be about made him nervous. Without waiting for his trepidation to increase, he fished out his knife and cut the seal, then opened the letter and began reading.

"_Dear Big Macintosh Apple,_

_As you well know, Tia's birthday is quickly approaching, and though she would never admit it, she rather enjoys celebrating it. I wish to make it a momentous occasion, though personal and only between friends and family members...as I believe we both know she could use the caring company. With your family becoming so close to us during the past five years, it would please me greatly if you could find the time to join us in Canterlot for the celebration. I understand that dear Applejack would not wish to leave at the moment, but I do hope that you would feel differently about this. The celebration is set for the eighth day of June, at the seventeenth hour._

_Please respond with haste so that I may plan accordingly._

_With love,_

_Crowned Princess Luna Duskwing, L.S.E."_

Big Mac smiled as he tucked the letter away, pleased that his ruler thought so highly of him. Ten years ago, he would _never_ even _consider_ the possibility that he'd be speaking so informally with his princesses, but he supposed dating the personal protégé of the sun princess herself for a length of time probably had a lot to do with it. It was no secret that the student and mentor were as close as family, so he assumed that being close with her meant that her "parents" would wish to know him candidly as well.

He had been right, of course.

It was an odd feeling for him at first...one so humble as he having such a close personal relationship with the royal family. Still, he found it rather refreshing to realize that though rulers, the royal family was just like any other person. He often found it a little disrespectful the way others treated the princesses...namely their lack of eye contact. He was raised old-fashioned by his parents, and his father had always told him to look someone in the eye when you're talking to them, as it shows respect and it also shows interest in what they have to say. Most of the people that spoke to the princesses, however, almost seemed to cower in their presence...and he found this more than a little annoying to watch. Lack of respect for someone who deserves it was one of the few things in life that truly annoyed him, so he often tried not to think about it.

With all that in mind, he _still_ found it pretty nice that the princess had wanted him to attend such an event, and she was right...the solar princess could use friends right now.

He stretched out his back a bit before getting back to work, resolving to write a return letter at his next opportunity.

* * *

The morning chores had been finished hours ago, leaving Big Macintosh heading in to work the fruit stand in the town. It was true that he enjoyed selling the produce his family worked so hard to grow, but today he was doing it because his sister had other things to take care of...though he believed he knew what things. All the same, he was always ready to help AJ out in her time of need, so with a bit of a spring in his step, he finished setting up the cart and unloaded his haul, even polishing a few of the crisp apples to make them all the more delectable.

As he took his place behind the stand, he took notice of his first customer of the day, and a rather regular one at that. She was one of the younger women around town and was known as Ditzy Doo (though some of the meaner citizens referred to her as "Derpy"). She was a tall, muscled girl with bright blonde hair and golden eyes, and as with the rest of her race (known as the Alatum), she sported a pair of large feathery wings, both powerful and beautiful. The only thing that marred her nearly flawless form was a lazy eye, for which she was _constantly_ taunted and teased for. Big Mac had once found her crying behind the post office she worked at after a particularly unpleasant day of teasing. In honesty, he understood exactly why she was teased so incessantly. His father had once told him that the strongest of them were always under constant scrutiny by envious eyes, all waiting for a chance to attempt to drag him or her down to their level.

It seemed that in Ditzy's case, it was quite true.

Even with the hardship she endured, the girl was very kind and friendly, and she and the Apple quickly befriended each other.

"Hiya, Big Mac!" the woman chimed happily as she approached the stand.

He grinned and waved at her. "Howdy, Miss Doo. How're ya doin' today?"

The blond-haired woman smiled wide at her friend's greeting. "Oh, great! Work's a little intense, but nothing I can't handle. Just thought I'd stop by and see a friend while I grab some lunch."

The tanned farmer nodded with a grin before grabbing six apples ‒ one of each kind ‒ and placing them in a brown paper bag. He then passed the bag to the mailwoman with a grin. "There ya go, ma'am. That'll be four bits." She handed him the money, which he put away before glancing at her again. "So how have y'all been lately? Ah ain't seen you or yer sister in awhile."

The girl opened the bag and fished out an apple before taking a large bite and chewing thoughtfully. "Well, we've been really busy with moving to Ponyville and all, so..."

His eyebrows raised a bit as he asked, "Y'all moved ta Ponyville finally?"

The good gold eye of the woman in front of him focused on his face as she swallowed another juicy bit of apple. "Yep! Mom and dad finally got sick of the treatment Dinky was getting for being an inferiorem raised by alatum. I guess she might not get to go to the really nice Canterlot schools for people like her, but we didn't want her to be sad all the time either."

"Better for her though." Big Mac answered. "It ain't no good fer a filly ta get picked on like that just fer tha sake of a school. 'sides, we got a lotta infies 'round here ta help her out."

She nodded as she looked off into the distance, presumably towards home. "Yeah...she loves it here. It was a great idea, and I got a job here," she then leaned a bit closer and patted his shoulder, "and I made a great friend."

He grinned at the touch and nodded. "It's an honor, darlin'."

The girl smiled before tossing the apple core in the bin he kept next to the stand. "Well, I've got a few more duties to do before I'm done, so I'll catch you later, Mac. Seeya!"

He waved goodbye to her as she left, happy to have made Ditzy's day just a little better. The young woman was very sweet, if a little bit of a doormat. Still, she was very kind and intelligent, which meant that the gruff Big Macintosh was more than pleased to have her as a friend.

As he again took stock of what he brought with him, he thought about the past decade of his life, and what it had meant for him. He was on the precipice of being thirty, and had seen more than his share of miracles and disasters alike. His family business was in its prime, and with the demand for his produce only going up, things could only get better. He had dated quite a bit as well, garnering the attention of some of the most desirable women around, while still being humble about it.

Okay...maybe he was a _little_ prideful.

"Hey Mac!" shouted his next customer, and he didn't even have to turn his head to know who it was.

A gust of wind announced her arrival, and her unique voice was something he would always remember.

He looked up fondly at the rainbow-haired woman and smiled. "Howdy, Miss Rainbow Dash."

She rolled her magenta eyes at him and smiled. "For Celestia's sake Mac, you've seen me naked...multiple times. I think you can drop the 'Miss' thing now."

He chuckled a bit at the memories and nodded. "Yeah, s'pose yer right. Still gotta be respectful to tha women though, ya know."

Her cyan wings fluttered a bit as she grinned and nodded, letting out her own light chuckle. "Yep, and that's why you're awesome, Mac."

"Glad Ah got tha 'Rainbow Dash Seal of Approval' then." he joked.

She let loose one of her rare girlish giggles for a few moments before sighing with a smile. Slowly the smile faded and she asked, "How's AJ?"

Big Mac's smile faded as well, and he gazed out over the marketplace, which was just starting to become active. "Not so good, Dash. She got in a fight last night, and Ah had ta pull her offa some guy she was tryin' ta beat tha daylights outta."

The normally optimistic flier's face dropped a little more as she noticed the few visible bandages on his body. She ran her fingers softly over his arm, pausing at the large bandage that covered the abrasion on his inner forearm. "It was about Twilight again, wasn't it?"

For a few moments he was silent, but then nodded. "Yeah. Y'all know how hot-headed she can get, an' them fools talkin' bad about Twi jus' makes her blood boil."

Rainbow Dash's hands moved to take his own in hers, and she didn't bother hiding it. After everything that had happened, the Apple family had become closer with the other Element bearers, as well as the town in general. Most of the town was very friendly...some, like Rainbow Dash, were considered kin. The way that Big Mac saw it, she was as much a family member as he was, as she'd seen them all at their worst, and still stuck around in the thick of it. After all, a smart man doesn't turn away from a helping hand when it's offered and he's in dire need...and the needs lately had been dire indeed.

"What's the latest news?" the rainbow-haired girl suddenly asked suddenly.

Whenever someone referred to "news" around him, he knew exactly what they were asking for. "Better, but not anythin' really helpful ta AJ. Ya know how she is...she won' hope until she's got solid good news from tha doctors."

She nodded and sighed. "As much as I hate to say it, you're right. AJ's not really one for hopes and dreams."

"Because she makes 'em happen." Big Mac replied as he gently squeezed the hand of his close friend. "AJ don't jus' hope fer stuff...she makes it happen."

"But she can't make _this_ happen." the stunt flier replied sadly as she softly stroked the palm of the farmer with her fingers.

He nodded with a rather sad frown on his face. "Yeah...Ah know...and she knows. Ah reckon tha's why she feels so helpless...she can' really do nothin, and that's new for 'er."

"It's hard for all of us, you know..." the fair-skinned woman replied as she met his emerald eyes with her own.

He nodded. "Yeah, but AJ's tha one she's closest to, next to tha princesses, Ah mean."

Thankfully, much to Big Mac's pleasure, Rainbow Dash always had a way of lightening the mood with a joke.

"First she dates you, then she dates AJ. You think Applebloom's gonna be next?" she inquired as she released his hand and fixed her flight jacket.

He shrugged with a smirk. "Ah don' know, maybe she'll want a crack at Granny Smith. Y'all know she's a might bit more lively than mosta tha old folks."

His comment had the desired effect as she sputtered and her face twisted up in disgust. "Ah, dude! Bad images! C'mon, man!"

He let a deep, resounding chuckle vibrate throughout him as he shook his head. "Wanna dish it out, but can't take it."

The prismatic woman then grinned and leaned against the stand, passing him a single bit and grabbing a rather large, red apple. "I guess if anyone's working their way around though, it'd be you." She took a bite of the juicy apple, and just barely contained a moan of contentment at the mere taste of it. Once she chewed and swallowed, she smiled. "I mean, you've worked your way through three of the Elements, and six other girls around town. How can you work the fields and _still_ have time for that?"

He shrugged as he tossed the bit into the cash box and smiled. "Practice, an' patience. Ah mean, y'all were happy, weren'tcha?"

She nodded as she swallowed another bite of the sweet fruit. "Yeah, I was. Being away on maneuvers for almost a year probably didn't help though. I hope you don't hold it against me, because I don't hold it against you."

He shrugged as he leaned against the counter. "Nah, Ah don't. Distance can ruin a good thing, no matter how much ya fight it. Ah figured it'd be better ta break it off nicely b'fore we started fightin' b'cause of tha frustration an' such."

"At least one of us was thinking for the future." she replied wistfully. "I would've just let it go until we exploded...I'm not too good at planning ahead."

"So Ah noticed." he replied with a grin.

She rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same. "So when are you gonna settle down with just one girl? Or, have you already got one in mind?"

He thought seriously for a moment before shrugging. "Ain't sure. Ah guess Ah ain't met tha right one yet. As far as mah personal habits, can't find what ya don't go out an' look for."

Her rainbow hair shifted a bit as she tilted her head, splaying across her eyes as she thought. After a few moments she pursed her lips and nodded. "You know, that's pretty deep, actually. I like that."

"Ah do have mah moments." he replied with a chuckle.

The woman then looked to the skies, her magenta eyes twinkling in the noonday sun. "Anyway, I gotta get back to work, Mac. It was great seein' ya. You take care!"

He waved at her as she flew off with a powerful burst of strength from her wings, proving as always that she was poetry in motion when she took to the skies. He smiled warmly before turning back to the market, noticing that people were beginning to gather around him for the normal midday rush.

* * *

The sun had begun to set as the tired work man rolled the apple stand into the shed and locked the small storage place up, hauling a rather large box full of bits to his house. Today had been a great day for work, and as he took a look at the fields, he found that Applejack and Applebloom had a rather productive day as well. He smiled as he entered the home, pleased that life went on.

Upon walking inside, his nose was attacked by the delightful smell of a home-cooked meal, and already his mouth was watering at the smell of the salted pork and apple stuffing that was cooking on the stove, along with what he assumed was an apple pie in the oven.

He gently kicked off his workboots at the door before heading to the washbin and washing his hands, and was pleased to find that even his grandmother was up helping prepare the meal...which meant that he could expect an extra-tasty dinner.

"Hiya, Big Mac!" his youngest sister exclaimed happily as he entered the dining room.

He smiled warmly at his younger sibling and nodded. "Evenin' 'Bloom. Did ya have fun with yer friends?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Ah helped Scootaloo repair her scooter, and then we all went out to tha market."

"Y'all didn't cause no trouble?" he asked warily.

She shook her head with a smile. "Nope. We jus' looked around at some of tha stuff b'fore gettin' bored and hangin' out by tha park."

He smiled with a nod. "Good. Long as Ah don' have ta come pick ya up from tha guard station again, Ah don' mind what ya do. Long as yer safe and havin' fun."

The young red-haired girl nodded before her eyes widened. "Oh, guess what?"

The elder sibling chuckled and shook his head. "Ah can't guess, AB."

She rolled her eyes, but her excitement did not abate. "Th' mayor said she'd give me a job keepin' tha clock tower workin' good fer as long as Ah need it. Ain't that great?"

He thought about it for a second. On the one hand, Applebloom wasn't the best worker on the farm, as her talent was more geared towards repairing and maintaining machines and tools, which meant that even at the worst of times, she only had a few things to do here and there. That meant that it would be good for her to get her own job and have some income of her own coming in, so that she could have some spending cash to use when around her friends, or for whatever she wished, really. Still, Big Mac was a little resistant to let her leave so freely and not help out when they needed it. After all, Sweet Apple Acres was a _family_ business...and it needed all of them to work right.

"Well," he began, thinking carefully, "would ya still be able ta fix things around here when we need it?"

The adolescent girl smiled and nodded. "Yep! Ah ain't gonna abandon mah fam'ly jus' cause ah got a job. Y'all know that."

He had been pretty sure before, but now he was at peace with it. He nodded and replied, "Then Ah'm happy for ya, 'Bloom. Good job."

"Soup's on!" announced the elder of the home as she brought a few steaming plates upon her arms, passing them to Big Mac and his youngest sister before she went back for more.

Applejack moved slowly and methodically around the kitchen, clearly trying to settle her mind about something, and Big Mac knew well enough what. All the same, he knew she wouldn't want to talk about it in front of Applebloom, so he let her be for now.

* * *

Supper was decent, all things considered. As had become normal recently, Applejack didn't speak much, but Big Mac had expected that. Contrary to what the other people thought of her, she was quite the thinker. A farmer though she may be, she was by _no means_ unintelligent. During times like this though, it worked against her, as her mind would drift to thoughts of things she couldn't help...couldn't change.

As at the table to write his letter to the night princess, he made sure to put everything that had happened in there. After all, though she might be a royal, she was also a close friend, and would want to know how her friends were doing, and by extension, their families. He wrote everything he could think of, from how his business was going, how Ponyville as a whole was faring, as well as how he and his own family were doing. He knew that the princess sometimes grew bored at night with so little to do, and enjoyed reading his letters, so he made sure it was nice and long for her. At the end, he explained that he would love to attend the birthday celebration of her sister, and that he would make time available for the next few days. He then sealed the envelope, addressed it directly to the special address the princesses had given him for direct mail to them, and placed it next to the front door to take out with him in the morning.

He rubbed his eyes once before locking the doors and turning off the lights, then headed upstairs to bed.

He checked each of the rooms of the other family members, being sure that each of them were in bed and resting peacefully before taking a quick shower and making his way to his own room.

* * *

For the first time in a long time, however, he found himself unable to fall asleep immediately. For the longest time, his sister Applejack had made fun of him for being able to fall asleep so easily, sometimes even referring to him as "Baby Mac". Tonight though, his thoughts buzzed in his head, as if a beehive had replaced his brain. The thought that ran through his mind the most, of course, was that of his troubled sister. It went without a doubt that she was stressed to the breaking point, if the night before had been any indication. Still, he knew better than to offer help when she didn't ask. She took it as a jab at her pride, and it went without saying that she could get rather...defensive. Besides, the two of them were close enough that he knew if she actually reached that point again, she'd seek him out...and he'd be there for her.

The second most important thought was that of the princesses. He considered Luna another sister, as Applejack was one of the first friends she made and had been a great boon to her in reassimilating herself into society. After all, the farmgirl knew nearly _everyone_ in town, and her business connections reached far and wide across the planet, so she was a great friend to have when trying to meet and become allies with the many people that now lived on the world.

A thousand years was quite a long time to be away by anyone's measure.

The night princess had quickly taken a liking to him after meeting them all, rather enjoying his calm, composed attitude, as well as his willingness to make eye contact with her...which was one of the things she found so hard to garner from her other subjects. For the longest time Big Mac had believed that perhaps his parents' old-fashioned values were pretty obsolete in the age they now lived in...

His mind was changed when the princesses both took an interest in him, however.

Celestia on the other hand was hard to figure out. She was very kind and loving of the many that she governed, and yet was very firm when she needed to be. In truth, that was not the difficult part to figure out, as Big Mac took the same stance with raising his youngest sister. No...it was the fact that she always had a smile on her face. Even after everything she'd seen in her life and after everything that had happened recently with her prized pupil, she still found the ability to put on a genuine smile...

Or at least what _seemed_ like a genuine smile.

Big Mac had a bit of a talent for reading people, so much so that he often could figure out what another person was thinking without even asking them. When it came to faking happiness when someone really felt bad on the inside, he noticed that almost everyone had a certain "tell" that tipped him off every time.

Celestia was different though.

Before he'd gotten close with the royal family, he'd seen how the solar princess and her student had acted together. There was no doubt in his mind that they _deeply_ cared for and trusted each other...but that was also why he found the princess so confusing. Even in the wake of what had happened to Twilight Sparkle, the princess still gave a generous smile no matter what. He supposed it had something to do with how long she'd lived, but he didn't see how. If he'd been in the same position and it was Applejack or Applebloom that were hurt, he wouldn't be able to stay calm at all.

So how and why was it so simple for her?

After a few hours of thinking this over, he pushed it to the back of his mind and closed his eyes. Perhaps some time during his stay in Canterlot, he could ask her this question, and hoped it wouldn't be too forward of him to do so. After all, his father always told him to learn from the best if you don't know something, and the princesses were the best at _many_ things. With that in mind he yawned once before turning onto his side and setting his alarm clock, then quickly faded off into the rest that would prepare him for the next day.


	3. Ch 2: Bonds

**A/N: Here's chapter two, with much fanfare and background explosions. You're welcome. Please R&R and let me know what you think.**

**To Myra - Whatever _that_ means.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters associated with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, nor the original story.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Bonds

As always, Big Macintosh's day began with washing up, getting a hearty breakfast with his family, and then heading out to the fields to continue upkeep of the famous apple trees his family grew, known far and wide to be the juiciest, most nutritious, and healthiest fruit of its kind anywhere in the area. He remembered that his father had once instilled within him the moral value that a man should only take pride in that which he has worked hard for...everything else is a gift. Well, it was for that reason alone that the current head of Sweet Apple Acres allowed himself a proud smile as he looked over the vast orchards that held the beloved fruit-bearing trees he and his sister worked so hard to grow and nurture.

The only thing that somewhat dampened his mood was the thought of what importance today had for he and Applejack.

It had been nearly a week since the brawl in town, and luckily with the prestige his family commanded throughout the town that his great-grandparents had founded held strong, allowing he and his sister to get off with a modest fine and little more than a slap on the wrists. Though that day was on his mind, it was merely used as a measure of time for him...for he knew that today he would have to brave a storm that was hovering close by, at Ponyville General.

He had to go with AJ to visit Twilight.

He always found it strange that magically-talented people like Twilight Sparkle were known as the Inferiorem. He believed that a term with the base "inferior" in it didn't do the people justice. Born under often mysterious circumstances and almost exclusively from others of their kind, the Inferiorem were known as the "bells and whistles" of their society. The strange, enigmatic energy known as magic was the basis for their entire world. Appliances ran off of it, medical work was done with it, and somehow, the Two Sisters controlled the passing of days with it.

To put it simply, the Inferiorem were _very_ important people. Oftentimes they were politicians or some sort of societal leaders, using their inborn abilities to bring peace and goodwill to the masses...most of the time. No one was perfect, after all, and sometimes the pride they often held for these abilities could go to their head, but overall it was for the greater good.

Twilight, however, was an exception.

Save for the two princesses that ruled over them, all knew that the young woman was unequivocally the most powerful of her kind. She was very humble, taking great care to never boast about her abilities, but was more than ready to lend her aid when it was needed. It was unknown whether her place as the Element of Magic contributed to her vast power, but none could deny she was the best representation of the Element she held. This was proven by her act of single-handedly decimating a swarm of invading changelings by using previously unheard-of magic to open a portal to the Nether itself, saving her home and friends.

It was not without cost, however.

Magical feedback from the Nether itself retaliated, sending her into a deep coma. Studies done by some of the foremost magical practitioners in the world revealed that she had extended her power too far, abusing her connection with the arcane energies she had taken for granted. The experts had come to the conclusion that such a grievous error had cost her greatly, and just like a wild animal that has been encroached upon, it "bit" her.

What they referred to as a "bite" however, was more like a "make-nearly-dead".

For the first week of Twilight's slumber, her pulse never rose above 30bpm. The doctors didn't understand it, stating that she _should_ be dead. Applejack and the young woman's other friends weren't complaining of course. As time passed, slowly but surely, she became stronger. Her vast stores of magic actively worked to heal and strengthen her body, actually making her _stronger_ than before. It had been almost four months since the first day, and yet unlike all other coma patients, Twilight did not weaken. It was that very thing that kept hope alive in the hearts of her friends and family.

The princesses were common visitors to the hospital of the quaint town, or at least as common as could be for two busy rulers. Nonetheless, the arrival of either princess no longer caused the entire staff to drop what they were doing and fawn over them, as was common in the city of Canterlot. As time rolled on, the nurses and medical practitioners settled for giving little more than a slight, standing bow or a nod of the head to their rulers, the solar princess herself having made it clear that such formalities were not necessary _every_ time. And so it became commonplace for the princesses to visit the slumbering young woman, oftentimes with no announcement. After all, all the planning in the world could not account for free time, and so the princesses simply visited whenever they had the time.

It was by the token that Big Macintosh came to know his rulers as more than princesses.

Big Macintosh had been intimate with Twilight in the past, and he _had_ loved her romantically. While that degree of love was no longer burning bright, he still cared for her a great deal. At least once a week, he would spend time in the hospital, watching over the comatose girl as he held her hand softly, or even talking to her. He had heard once that even the comatose patients could hear to some degree in their unwanted rest, so he made it a point to speak of things both past and present.

It was during one of the Apple's visits that he was graced with the company of the princess of the night herself, Luna Duskwing. It had been after the rulers made it clear they wished for everyone to stop bowing to them, so he had done no such thing, merely nodding in acknowledgement of his better.

* * *

**Flashback: 22 April 6442, 21:08**

The night princess stepped into the room, her shorter and lithe form seemingly going unnoticed by the farmhand. His years of fieldwork, however, had sharpened his perception, and he knew she had entered the room as soon as he heard the door close. The poise of a goddess was unmistakable, even to him. Graceful, yet commanding. Gentle, yet unfathomably powerful.

"Evenin', princess." he greeted, respectfully but casually. He then raised his eyes to meet the blue-haired, pale-skinned goddess with a smile. "Ah'm sure Twi's happy ya came."

The steward of the night nodded with a kind smile. "It is kind of you to say so...Large Macintosh Apple, if We art correct?"

He couldn't help but let out a chuckle as he corrected, "That's _Big_ Macintosh, yer majesty...but close enough."

A faint dusting of an embarrassed pink dusted her cheeks, but she smiled nonetheless. "Apologies."

The ocher-haired man shook his head with a soft wave of his hand. "No problem, princess."

The elegant goddess made her way to the bedside opposite him, her obsidian sandals making nearly no sound. Upon arriving at the side of the resting Twilight, she frowned ever so slightly. "How is she?"

Big Macintosh closed the book he was reading and stood as well, noting that he was nearly a foot taller than his princess. He looked over the sleeping form of his former lover, and sighed. "She's alright Ah guess. Doctors say they don' know why she ain't dead from what she did." He then shook his head with a soft smile as he caressed her cheek fondly. "Ah ain't never known 'a her ta quit anythin' though. Ah reckon she's gonna be just fine." He then sighed as his mood dropped a bit. "Ain't no way ta know how long it's gonna take though."

"Thou loves her." the princess observed.

"Ah did, some time ago." he replied in a somber tone. "Ah still care for her though...jus' not in a courtin' kinda way."

"We...We do not understand. We sense a great deal of love from thee." she mused softly.

He chuckled as he kept his gaze locked on the woman in the bed. "There's a lotta different kinds 'a love, princess. People nowadays would say 'Ah love her, but Ah'm not _in_ love with her'."

He had never understood the saying of referring to someone's voice as "music to the ears", but when the princess giggled, he understood. It was a repressed laugh, but to him it was still one of the most beautiful things he'd ever heard. Her soft, gentle titters tickled his ear drums and warmed his heart, and it was at that moment that he knew more than anything that everything would be alright.

After a few moments of chortles from the night princess, she finally composed herself and nodded. "Yes, We have heard that adage before. We fear it is even older than _We_ are. It is rather entertaining to know it has made such a comeback."

Big Macintosh scratched his chin, noting absentmindedly that he needed to shave. "Well, guess Ah learned somethin' new today."

The princess smiled warmly and nodded. "Indeed." She then daintily extended her hand towards him. "Apologies...We have forgotten to properly introduce Ourself. We are Luna Duskwing, crowned princess of the night, moon, and the stars."

He smiled and firmly took it in his own, taking care not to crush her smaller hand in his grip. "Well Ah'm Big Macintosh...folks 'round here jus' call me Big Mac."

The princess released his hand and shuffled a little nervously. "Again, We must apologize...We have not been completely honest with you." She looked up to meet his shining emerald eyes as she sighed and closed her eyes, unable to look at him anymore. "We know _exactly_ who you are, Big Macintosh Apple. Twilight has spoken at great length about you, both romantically and otherwise. You mean a great deal to her."

I raised his eyebrow as he asked, "Ah ain't mad, but why all tha trickin'?"

The stoic farmhand noticed as a faint pink coloring showed upon the goddess' cheeks. "W-well, We wished to spark a conversation with you, and this seemed easiest to do if We pretended not to know who you are."

"_Y'all_ wanna get to know _me_?" he spoke in an unconvinced tone. The princess nodded shyly, and he sighed. "If tha's what y'all wanted, ya don' need ta fret none. Ah ain't gonna bite. One thing though..."

She opened her eyes and caught his again, which seemed to be glowing in the fluorescent light of the room. "Yes?"

"Ya don' need ta talk all proper-like with me." he replied with a small smile. "Twi told me ya only do that when yer nervous...well, ya don' need ta be nervous 'round me."

The moon goddess looked at her friend in the bed, taking in the soft features of the slumbering woman. "She speaks of me?"

He smiled when he noticed she'd dropped the whole "We" thing. "Eeyup. She considers y'all a big sister...ya mean tha world ta that girl."

The magical cyan eyes of the princess locked onto the farmer's, and she smiled warmly. "It is kind of you to say so."

He shrugged. "It's tha truth. Only person she talks about more than you is yer sister."

The smile on her face brightened just a bit as a single chuckle escaped her lips. "Yes. I remember a few years ago, a rumor erupted throughout Canterlot, claiming Tia and dear Twilight were..._involved_."

Not worrying about the girl in the bed waking, Big Macintosh let out a deep, resounding chuckle at this, reminiscing about that specific incident. It was made even more entertaining by the fact that he and Twilight had been an item at the time, and even _more_ so by how the young infie had taken it. It went without saying that she had reacted rather explosively upon hearing that she was rumored to be intimate with the solar princess, someone she considered her mother.

* * *

**Flashback End**

Twilight never knew who her real parents were, and from a young age she had been passed from orphanage to orphanage...until the princess of the Crystal Empire, Mi Amore Cadenza (more commonly known simply as "Cadence"), took an interest in her. Being the heralded "Princess of Love", she took it upon herself to raise the young child within the confines of the Celestial Palace. Her close friend, Shining Armor, also took a liking to the child, and before long, he and the child considered each other siblings.

Over time, Celestia, steward of the sun and the day, began to take notice of the unknown girl often found beside her niece, Cadence. Her niece's pink, violet, and cream-colored hair was a stark contrast to the young girl's dark indigo, but that was not what made the unknown young female stand out the most. No...what caught the eye of the solar goddess was the girl's sharp eyes, which analyzed everything around her, all of the time. She constantly asked questions about anything and everything, her thirst for knowledge truly having no bounds.

But what caused Celestia to take a personal interest was a fateful day at her school for the gifted.

Contrary to popular belief, _Celestia's School for the Gifted_ was _not_ a school exclusive to the Inferiorem. Instead, it was a school meant to be for _any_ exemplary students, though because the magically-gifted people usually spent more time working their minds than others, they tended to be the majority. However, the largely-snooty inferiorem people of Canterlot gained a massive ego boost when Twilight Sparkle was frightened into accidentally releasing her power during her entrance exam. Her fluctuation of power summoned a being from myth and legend ‒ a draconic familiar. Such a feat was beyond the power of most who lived in the world, with the exception of the princesses themselves.

It was this event that brought the solar princess' attention to her.

The princess was vastly impressed by the raw power of one so young, and personally took the girl under her wing to train and teach. What simply began as grooming a powerful young woman quickly became something else though.

As far as Celestia knew, there were no others of her kind, save for her sister. Not even the two goddesses knew where they came from, or how they came to be. What was clear, however, was that they were the fusion of all three races, taking the strength of the humans, the flight capabilities of the alatum, and the magic of the inferiorem. One thing both of the princesses realized early on was that they never aged past a certain point. It could not be said if they were truly immortal, but it had begun to seem that way.

Though she would never admit it, Celestia held envy for her subjects on a few accounts...one of which was procreation. Though anatomically similar to the subjects she ruled over, she could not bear children normally. And so, when she found the young Twilight Sparkle in need of guidance, she immediately stepped in.

A daughter of her own...perhaps not in title, but in her heart.

It was because of this deep bond that Big Mac had come to know his rulers as more than their title. To him, they were no longer mere princesses to him...they were friends. From that first day meeting with Luna, he began to see more and more of both her and her sister as he patiently waited with the rest of those concerned for Twilight to awaken. True that perhaps it was a friendship sprouted from pain and heartache, but it was a strong one nonetheless. The bond he shared with his princesses was forged in the fires of mutual care and understanding for Twilight, and it had given them all the strength to continue on with their heads held high.

* * *

Thankfully for the humble farmer, his legs had taken him to his destination, even though he had been deep in thought...Ponyville General. Every time he saw the name of the town or the hospital, he couldn't help but have an offhanded thought that "Ponyville" was a rather strange name for a town of humans.

Curious.

He shook the thought away though, realizing that it was a rather unimportant mystery.

"Y'all alright Mac?" his blonde-haired sister asked worriedly.

He turned his eyes to look fondly at her and nodded. "Ah'm good. Jus' rememberin' things."

She eyed him curiously for a moment before shrugging and turning back to the building that was now looming in front of them. Without breaking stride, she sighed and questioned, "Ya ready?"

He knew well enough that she was saying that more for her than for him. Big Mac tended to have more faith and hope than his sister did, while she would rarely believe anything that didn't have concrete evidence of truth. Many people thought it was because she was chosen to be the Element of Honesty, but Big Mac knew differently.

She'd been like that _long_ before she became an Element bearer.

Of course, he knew her pride prevented her from ever admitting it was _she_ that was nervous about the visit, and he also knew that it would be fruitless to try and convince her that _she_ was the one that was nervous. So, as he always did, he simply nodded and muttered, "Eeyup."

The cowboy hat-wearing farmgirl nodded with a faint smile. "Alright then...le's go."

Having been in this specific hospital innumerable times, he knew his way around as if he lived there. As Big Mac walked through the halls with his sister, he recognized the different landmarks: the nurses' station that had several familiar nurses milling about in it, the defibrillator cart that saved lives, and even the lonely old EKG machine that...

Wait...where was the EKG machine?

Suddenly, the entire hospital jolted, as if the ground itself had shifted.

"Coming through!" shouted a loud female voice from behind the pair, and both jumped away from each other as a pink-haired woman with a nurse's cap on rushed past...with the familiar machine that had been missing.

Both siblings looked worriedly at each other before quickening their pace towards Twilight's room.

As the two of them rounded the last corner that led to the wing that held their friend's room, another jolt to the hospital hit, this one strong enough to nearly knock the two Apple siblings off their feet, and when they rested their eyes on the room ahead of them, they saw not only a plethora of hospital staff gathered, but also _both_ of the princesses.

Something _had_ to be wrong.

"Princess Luna!" called Big Mac, immediately garnering the attention of the lunar goddess.

The younger princess' large indigo wings flared in surprise, but as she turned around to meet the voice, she smiled softly as she saw who was approaching. "Ah. Mac, it is so good to see you again." Another small shudder of the building caused her to drop the smile though. "However, I believe now is not the best time for pleasantries."

For the sake of the other people nearby, Applejack offered a short bow before asking, "What's goin' on? Why's tha building shakin'?"

Worry became very clear in the face of the night princess, and though she said nothing, it was clear the elder, Celestia, was worried as well.

"Twilight's magic has awakened." the solar princess answered, flicking her multicolored cyan, teal, lavender, and magenta hair out of her eyes. "She, however, has not. Without her control to reign it in, her power is threatening to tear the world asunder. It appears she is much more powerful than any of us believed."

"Well, why aren't ya helpin' then?" AJ asked curiously, her worry making her completely ignore the scathing tone to her question. "Can't y'all do somethin' ta stop it?"

Thankfully, the bond that the two humans held with the princess allowed her to overlook the concerned question, and instead she sighed in defeat. "We cannot help. Our magic can do many things, but it cannot lock her own magic without killing her."

"So what do we do?" Big Mac asked simply.

Both princesses looked them over, and Celestia answered, "_We_ do nothing..." She then pointed a finger at the freckle-faced girl with a sigh.

It took a moment for it to hit the farmgirl.

She gasped and placed her hand over her chest. "W-what?! Me? What am _Ah_ supposed ta do? Ah don't know nothin' about magic!"

"Perhaps," Luna replied with a frown, "but our inability to help her is not because of her power. It is because of the Element of Magic ‒ it is protecting her...dangerously. Only the resonance frequency of another Element of Harmony can calm her own Element, and allow us a way to work. We will follow you in, and you must initiate physical contact with her with as much as your body as possible. The more of you touching her, the better." The night princess' face then lit up with a faint blush as well. "And...it must be skin-to-skin contact..."

The entire group of people fell silent at this, all feeling somewhat awkward.

"You three go in," the elder Apple brother spoke firmly, pointing to the princesses and his sister, "and tha rest of us'll wait out here." He then made his way to stand in front of his sister, and he looked at her with determination. "Take good care of her, AJ...she needs ya right now."

The younger Apple sibling nodded before looking to the princesses. Without another word, the door was opened, and the three disappeared inside...ready to brave the danger of Twilight's magic to save her.

* * *

Big Mac was nervous.

It was a rare emotion for him, as he was usually so sure of what would happen in his life, but at this point, he was just worried. Worried for Twilight, for his sister, for the princesses...he was just overall worried.

Since Applejack had entered the room with the princesses, the building did not heave again, though at the moment, he was unsure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. After spending so much time around not only Twilight, but the princesses as well, he could sense magic when it was around him...and though its effects no longer threatened to tear the hospital apart, he could still feel its charge in the air. It was accompanied by a gentle humming that most people would ignore, convinced they were hearing things or that it was simply a trick of their ears...white noise. He knew otherwise, of course. He knew it was a spell being cast, and he hoped with all of his being that it would end this event in the favor of safety and serenity for all the people in the building, as well as his own sister, the princesses, and him.

"Big Mac?" spoke a soft voice from in front of him.

He turned his eyes up to see the pink-haired nurse from earlier, accompanied by her twin, which had vivid blue hair and wore a uniform with blue accents instead of red.

He smiled and nodded, grateful to have something to take his mind off things. "Howdy, girls. How are ya?"

The twin nurses giggled and sat down beside him. The red-accented woman smiled warmly and stated, "Blue Cross and I were just wondering how you were doing...you know, with all of this."

He ran his hand through his orange hair and sighed. "Jus' as well as Ah can, Red. Ah'm worried fer mah sis, but Ah also know tha princesses'll look after her." He then raised his eyebrow with a smirk as he looked to the blue-haired woman. "Don't y'all normally work tha mornin's, Trippy?"

Blue Cross rolled her eyes at the childhood name, but smiled. "When I heard that my sister was having such trouble handling things here, I knew she could use my help." Her smile then transformed into a sultry grin as she added, "Besides, I don't need a reason to come see you, now do I?"

He shrugged with a grin matching her own. "Ah guess not."

"So," Nurse Redheart began, a mischievous glint in her eye, "what's going on with you and the princesses?"

A faint blush lit up the farmhand's face as he averted his eyes, a little embarrassed by the implication. "N-nothin, Red. We're jus' good friends is all." It was the truth of course, but he could admit to himself that a "lowly" human like him consorting with princesses could send the wrong message.

Luckily for him, the doctor and nurse beside him were old friends, and understood.

"Friends with a princess, hmm? I envy you." Redheart commented with a smile.

He shrugged. "Ah know people don't think so, but they're jus' normal people, really...they jus' happen ta rule tha kingdom is all."

From time to time, Big Mac found it strange that he thought about his rulers ‒ whom many actually worshiped ‒ as regular people. He supposed that it was because of the fact that many did not truly _know_ them. While he still respected and revered them for their wisdom, power, and gentle, benevolent rule, he also knew them as people, not just princesses. He knew that Luna, for example, was dangerous to turn your back on. She was witty, cunning, and devious...with pranks. Celestia, on the other hand, tended to try and see the good in everyone...even what it wasn't there. It went without saying that it had led to quite a few heartbreaks for the sun princess over the years, though she never loved her subjects any less. The only thing that the princesses had kept tight-lipped about were romances...which Big Mac knew nothing about.

Whatever...not his business.

"So what do you think they're doing in there?" Blue Cross asked curiously.

All three looked down the hallway that led to the wing Twilight's room was in, and all three gained worried expressions.

"Ah don' know," the normally-sure man spoke softly, "but Ah trust mah sister, and Ah trust mah princesses."

He was unsure if he was trying to convince them or himself.

* * *

The room that housed the sleeping Element of Magic was quiet, save for the subtle hum and crackling of the magic in the air, thankfully settled by the combined efforts of both princesses.

The room was serene now, and safe. Twilight's magic had been successfully contained until she woke, and even though the strange ritual to do so was finished, a nearly-naked Applejack still clung to her lover, seemingly realizing just how much she missed Twilight.

"This is _so_ not doing favors for my labido." Luna commented dryly, her voice a mere whisper into her sister's ear.

The elder Celestia rolled her eyes with a smile. "With this much skin showing, I am surprised your _own_ garments still remain on."

Luna replied with a gasp of mock surprise, hissing out, "I am still a _virgin_, thank you!"

"Not by choice." the solar princess remarked with a smirk, still not meeting her sister's eyes.

For a moment, it looked as if the lunar princess' face might twist up and break in indignation, but eventually her features softened and she grinned happily, lacing her fingers into that of her sister's. A soft glow accompanied their contact, and wisps of loose energy sprang forth from their grasp, fluttering around the room unfettered.

"You did good, Luna...I'm proud of you." Celestia spoke gently.

A smile creased the younger sister's face as she looked to meet her elder sibling's bright magenta eyes. "Thank you, Cel. That means so much to me." She then turned her gaze to the slumbering pair in the bed, and frowned. "How long do you think we must wait until Twilight awakens?"

"She is far from 'normal', and I believe that much is clear by now," the pastel-haired woman stated, "but _normally_, an inferiorem's magic would awaken at the same time their consciousness did. I cannot pretend to know if she will respond the same way, but I do hope so. It has been too long without her."

"I agree." Luna spoke softly before smirking at her sister. "No offense, but I never considered you to take such an interest in a single subject of ours."

Celestia did not turn her eyes away from the two sleeping women, but sighed and nodded. "I cannot pretend that my interest in her is not personal. She is special...unique. She is the closest thing to a daughter I can hope to have without binding another to me, and I cannot trust anyone else that much."

Luna gave a light squeeze to her sister's hand as she asked, "Why must you torment yourself so, Tia? You know as well as I do that there are exemplary people in the world...not all of them are out to use you for their own means. They're not all like..._him_..."

The elder sister flinched at the mention of one who hadn't been named, but both knew who it was.

"Just promise me that you will keep your heart open, sister." Luna pleaded gently. "It is not fair we should live so long without the love of another."

Reflexively, Celestia brought her free hand up to clasp a matching necklace both she and her sister wore, which displayed a circlet of the moon and sun. It was the only bit of selfish magic either of them had ever used thus far, and it held a very special meaning to them both. Within each pendant was held the power of eternity...the power to share their eternal life with another. Long ago when they were young, both princesses had created the necklaces as part of a promise to each other, that they would find the man or woman meant for them, and be eternally happy.

'_My, how naive we were.'_ Celestia thought bitterly.

Both princesses, with time, had come to know just how carefully they would need to choose such a thing, and as time went on, both came to realize that their "one" may _never_ come. It was a sad truth both had come to learn of the millennia: that they were forever different from those they ruled over. Celestia learned this by the betrayal of one she had hoped would share her life...while Luna learned from observation.

'_Luna always was the wiser one.'_ the solar princess mused to herself.

After a long while, Celestia sighed and closed her eyes softly. "I cannot actively hope for such a thing, Luna. To do so is to invite constant heartbreak, and I am not strong enough to continue pining for a love that may never come. Four-thousand years is long enough for that, I think."

Luna extended her indigo wing to cover the wings and back of her sister, and smiled sadly. "I do wish you had more faith than you do, dear sister."

The sun princess opened her eyes again and gazed at her sister with pain in her eyes. "I spread light throughout the world...I find it much easier to notice the darkness."

"Perhaps," Luna replied, feeling worried for her sister, "but that does not mean you do not also notice the light as well. Do not let the shadows of the past and present cloud your vision. It can blind you, even if you do not notice it." She then looked out the window and frowned, noticing dusk was approaching. "Come...we must return. Twilight will be fine now."

Celestia nodded mutely and followed her sister out of the room, shutting the door quietly as she did so.

* * *

Hours later, as night had fallen and the day's chores had been taken care of, Big Mac once again lay in his bed, thinking about the day itself. He had been both worried and relieved about the situation at the hospital, and yet, he chose to stay positive. He trusted the princesses had done everything they could, and they would not have left Applejack alone in the room had they not deemed it safe enough.

His protective instinct still nagged at him that he should still worry.

Deciding to put these thoughts to rest, he instead thought of what was to come: the get-together with Celestia. Truth be told, he knew Luna much better than her sister, but offered no less friendship or respect to Celestia. After all, she was still his princess, and deserved no less kindness from him. She had ruled the land he lived in for longer than his family had existed, and though a few wars had popped up now and then, for the most part, it had been a happy and peaceful existence for all those who lived in her kingdom.

After all, no one was perfect.

He still had to think of something to get the princess, however. After all, one could not just show up to the birthday celebration of an everlasting being without a gift of some sort, now could they?

With that in mind, he let loose a loud yawn before turning onto his stomach, sliding his arm under the pillow, and closing his eyes to sleep. He'd worry about the gift tomorrow...for now, he had work in the morning.

Big Mac sent a silent wish of safety and goodwill for Twilight to whatever being handled those, and fell away into slumber.


	4. Ch 3: To Gift a Princess

**A/N: Howdy everyone/everypony! Frost here with another chapter for all of you. Glad to see so many are enjoying this story, so here's the next chapter for your hungry bellies to gorge themselves on. Please R&R and let me know what you thought.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters associated with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, nor the original story.**

* * *

Chapter 3: To Gift a Princess

The rest of the month had gone swimmingly for the Apple family, and Ponyville in general. Life had gotten back to normal (whatever _that_ was) and talk of what happened at the hospital had died down, as well as who was involved. The princesses had requested that the identity of the woman that helped (Applejack) was kept confidential, so thankfully Big Mac hadn't needed to deal with cameras and reporters showing up at the farm.

While three weeks had passed since that exciting day at the hospital, Applejack had not lost hope. Instead, her belief that Twilight would come out of this was gaining more and more steam as time went on, so much so that she was smiling more often than not...a welcome change to the middle child of Sweet Apple Acres.

With it being the middle of summer, however, that meant one thing for the Apple family: blooming season.

Many of the apple trees would sprout flowers and begin blooming for pollination within the next month or so, with the red delicious and mcintosh apples being the first to do so. The problem with this was that Applejack had developed allergies from repeated exposure to the pollen in the air. Twilight knew a spell that could handle the symptoms without making her drowsy, but unfortunately it was one of the _very_ few spells she had created that she had not written down...meaning she was the only one of her kind that knew how to cast it. This in turn meant that either Applejack would help out and be miserable, or Big Mac would force her to do work in the town instead in an effort to alleviate her allergies somewhat.

More often than not, the latter was what happened.

Big Mac took a deep breath as he sipped his coffee out on the front porch of the farmhouse, relishing the familiar scent of the plantation during the summer months. He knew that without Applejack to help, it was going to be pretty quiet around the farm, but luckily there wasn't much work to be done other than check over the trees for pests or disease, a job he could easily handle on his own.

'_And I still got my dau-...other sister.'_

The mental slip up caused a little guilt to shoot through him, like it always did, but he shoved it away. For the sake of the youngest Apple and himself, he couldn't afford to think about it...lest it drive him crazy.

Still, in the early morning, when there was nothing to do, his mind tended to wander. It sometimes took him to dark places, and other times to dreams of what might be, or what could have been. In the situation he currently found his mind in, he wondered what it would have been like to be a father, had he the choice again. The dark side of his mind wondered what it would have been like had he never made the mistake he had when he was younger.

But, as he looked in the front window of the house to see Applebloom prancing about happily, waiting for breakfast, he couldn't help but smile.

'_Maybe there ain't no right choice...but I did the best I could and proved myself to be the man my pa thought I would be.'_

He knew in his heart that he couldn't have let Applebloom go, even given the chance again..._especially_ given the chance again. He knew that accidents rarely turned into something good, but when they did, it could be some of the best things in life. Maybe he'd tell Applebloom the truth one day, and try to explain why things turned out the way they had, but at ten years old, he knew she wasn't ready.

For now however, it was time for breakfast with his family, so he downed the rest of his coffee before stepping back inside the farmhouse.

* * *

Hours later Big Mac found himself in the market district of the town. Princess Celestia's birthday get-together was tomorrow, so like any decent guest he decided he should attempt to get her a gift or two. Since she was many times older than him and had likely seen and _done_ quite a bit more, it was unlikely he was going to surprise her with a gift.

But he'd be damned if he wasn't going to try.

Princess Celestia had been rather down lately. Among those close to her, it was no secret she drew great joy from the regular letters she received from Twilight, even if they were simply to say "hi" and tell what had been going on in life. Big Mac knew that it was difficult for the princesses to connect with regular people, so it made sense that when they did, they held onto that bond like a liferaft in the chaotic ocean called life. He knew that the princesses saw the world a different way than normal people did. They had to, as Big Mac knew that if _he_ had to watch so much time pass and so many people die while he just stuck around, he'd probably have an emotional breakdown...or two. Still, he knew even the princesses had their limits, and this assumption was confirmed by the look of clear worry that he had seen on both of their faces every time they visited Twilight in the hospital.

He wasn't so arrogant as to think that his presence and presents were going to be enough to bring the solar princess out of her funk, but he also knew that he had to try. Princess Celestia was a friend to him, and though he wasn't as..._enthusiastic_ about it as the young woman known as Pinkie Pie, he didn't like seeing his friends unhappy. So even though he wasn't confident he could do the impossible by brightening up the day of an ageless princess, he _was_ confident that he could do everything within his power to do so.

Big Mac's sister was known for her skill at creating apple-themed dishes ranging from pies to dumplings, but the one thing Sugarcube Corner sorely outclassed her in was cakes. The people that ran the shop were _named_ Carrot- and Cup Cake, so it made sense they knew what they were doing. Then of course there was Ponyville's resident Premier Party Princess, Pinkie Pie, who was magic in the kitchen. So the first place he decided to stop at was a staple for any birthday party, whether for a princess or a regular person: Sugarcube Corner.

* * *

As he entered the bakery, a legion of smells attacked his nose, all of them sweet in some way. He'd never really had a taste for candy, cake, or pies (besides his family's apple pies, of course), but he did have a weakness for blueberry muffins, and for some reason there was always a batch of fresh-baked muffins whenever he'd arrive...as if they knew he was coming.

A small brass bell rang as he came through the door to the bakery, announcing his arrival. Sure enough, Pinkie Pie's curly pink mess of hair popped out of the back room at the sound, and she smiled when she saw Big Mac walking in.

She jogged over to him and embraced him tightly. "Hi Mackie! What a coinkydink, a fresh batch of muffins just finished baking! You want one?"

He chuckled as he gently pushed the excitable woman off of him, and nodded. "Sure thing, Pink. Sounds good."

"Okay! You wait right here and I'll be back in a jiffer! Or is it jiffy? Juicy?" the woman answered, mumbling to herself as she began to walk back to the counter. Big Mac followed her and waited as she fished one of the fresh, moist muffins out from the glass display, wrapping it in a napkin and handing it to him. She then typed a few things into the cash register before looking up to meet his eyes, sapphire meeting emerald. "Okie dokie! That'll be two bits, please." Big Mac reached into his wallet and pulled out the two coins, placing them in her hand as he took the baked treat. He then watched as she took the money from him and put it in the register before looking back up at him. "So hey, I get a break in about ten minutes. Do you wanna stick around?"

He nodded with a grin as he answered, "Sounds like a plan. Ah'll be in tha window nook."

Big Mac took his muffin and went to sit at a small table in the window nook, where the golden rays of the sun projected a warm glow to the area. He took out his snack and began eating it as he watched the bubbly young woman literally bounce her way around the bakery as she cleaned and organized things, her vivid pink hair bouncing as much as her other "assets". Many of the men around town had tried to court her, some making the excuse that they wanted to find out if pink was her true color, but she was _very_ picky. This in turn had started gentle rumors about her that she was a prude.

Big Mac sighed to himself...he knew otherwise.

The truth was he was possibly the only one who knew her personally outside of the other Elements. Because of her youthful personality and delightfully curvy body, she was the envy of many women in town, and the target of many men seeking a girlfriend. The problem with this was that hardly anyone truly took the time to know her, as her easily-excitable personality could grate on people's nerves at times...but Big Mac had seen more than that. He saw a person that loved to make others smile or laugh in joy, no matter how much work it took. What he _hadn't_ known at first was the deep-seated depression she battled with every day. It was a part of the reason she chose to spread joy everywhere she went, but the other part was because if she wasn't making others smile, she'd have to stop and think about just how much she'd lost in life.

Like him, Pinkie Pie had lost both of her parents from a young age, and she grew up on a rock farm with a foster family that didn't really pay attention to her. From sunup to sundown, she was made to work with the other younger members of the household out in the fields, breaking up stone. She learned the value of hard work, responsibility, and self-sufficiency...but she also learned to distrust all others.

Her distrust of strangers was why she acted as she did in public. It was an act that made it easy to do her job at the bakery or as a party organizer by making it fun for customers, while still distancing herself from them. With her friends, she was very touchy-feely, always wanting to be hugged or hold hands, or be touching them in some way. Some of them didn't understand why exactly and simply attributed it to "Pinkie being Pinkie", but Big Mac knew from being told by the bubbly girl herself that she wanted proof that her friends weren't just her imagination.

It was rather sad when it came right down to it, that one of the people who deserved happiness the most had to fight tooth and nail just to get it.

Big Mac looked down at the napkin on the table to notice that during his thoughts, he had apparently eaten the muffin, so he balled up the napkin and slipped it into the wastebin by the front door before taking his seat again. As he waited, he watched how the three bakers went about their work, efficient as always. Rarely had he seen three people working so well together, as if they were mentally connected. It was what had allowed Sugarcube Corner to become so successful, being known for great treats, fair prices, and a joyful, relaxed atmosphere.

He continued to take in the decor or the establishment, marveling at its simplicity. This _was_ a human town after all, and across all the races, humans weren't known for being the most lavish when it came to fashion or decorations. Still, it had a warm, "homey" feel to it that was inviting without being intimidating. Many of the regular patrons were on a first-name basis with the proprietors that ran the bakery, which only added to its allure. The _most_ enjoyable part of the bakery was Pinkie Pie though, as her smiles and silly antics always put grins on faces and joy in hearts.

* * *

He had met her many years ago, when he was no older than ten. He had found her, wandering the streets and starving, when he was doing market work with his father when he was still alive. In truth he had almost thought of just turning the other way and continuing to work, but something stopped him. That something was what he thanked every day for choosing to sneak her in the barn to give her shelter. It wasn't much of course, but it was all he could think of at the time...after all, the house wasn't his. His father was observant though, and noticed his less-than-subtle son spending an awful lot of time in the barn with seemingly no explanation why. He found the two young people of course, Big Mac keeping her company and occasionally sitting in silence while she cried softly. Even though Thunderbolt Apple was known for his strict parenting as much as his decidedly odd name, he was not the type of man to throw out a young girl who was clearly in need of help. So instead of leaving his son to try and hide her, he made his presence known to them, assured them both he was not angry, and invited her to stay with them.

This had made the young man ecstatic of course, for not only did he have a new friend, but he could actually do true good in someone's life.

Much to Thunderbolt and Big Mac's relief, the girl actually _wanted_ to help earn her keep. She was quiet and meek, but worked every bit as hard as they did, even though her body was severely malnourished and it was clear she had a lot on her mind. Though it was true that she was too young and weak to do much besides "kid's work", she did it diligently, determined to pay back the family that offered her room and board, simply because it was the right thing to do.

As could be expected, Applejack and Big Mac soon became close friends with her.

* * *

Seeing as how Big Mac was five years older than his sister, he entered puberty before her and became interested in girls...as any young man would.

It had been a little over two years since the bubbly pink-haired girl began living with them, and he began noticing different things about her. Beyond her personality, he began noticing how soft her skin looked, and that he wanted to touch it. He began to notice the soft little lumps of flesh under her shirt every time she would hug him (which was often). Most of all though, he realized that he rather enjoyed seeing her in a swimsuit, like when she and Applejack would take a dip in the river.

These new thoughts confused him, and after receiving a rather awkward talk about "growing up" from his father, he realized that to act on such thoughts could get him in a _lot_ of trouble. He promised himself that he wouldn't do so, because even though his new thoughts were telling him to touch her and do _something_, he valued her friendship much more than that...so with no small amount of willpower, he fought those feelings down, and locked them away.

Time, it seemed, had a way of complicating things.

Merely four months after Big Mac's fourteenth birthday, he received the worst news he ever had up to that point: his parents had been killed.

His mother and father personally made deliveries across the whole nation, and they had gotten caught in an avalanche after a heavy snow in the mountains of Cryomere, in the Frozen North. After being gone for nearly a week, he received a letter from the local coroner, stating that his parents may have been found, and he and Granny Smith needed to identify the bodies.

He said nothing as he went, and only opted to tell Applejack and Pinkie when he returned.

It went without saying that when he and the older woman returned, they had to explain to Applejack that their mother and father were not coming home this time. Both she and Pinkie Pie began weeping immediately, Applejack confused and angry, but Pinkie understanding what happened. The pink-haired girl was his age after all, and had lost her own parents at a very young age. Applejack wouldn't listen however, and took her father's hat off of the coathook and began to bury herself in work, hoping that if she worked hard enough, maybe the pain would stop.

Granny Smith took over as caretaker for the three young ones, though that didn't make the funeral any easier.

It went without saying that Applejack took things particularly hard, with how close she was to her father. She had to be physically dragged away from the caskets so they could lower them into the ground, and Big Mac found it one of the most heartbreaking times of his life.

Pinkie Pie also did her share of mourning, as the Apple family had been the one place where she'd felt safe, secure, and loved. They were her family, and now two strong members of that family were gone forever.

Big Mac, by his token, was strangely quiet. He remembered getting up on the podium and saying a few words about his folks, but then left without shedding more than a few tears silently. Part of it was because he was honestly in shock of what had happened, while another part wouldn't allow himself to break down in public, where his younger sister could see him.

The day itself was bright and sunny, when it least needed to be, but life went on and so did the day.

The night of the funeral changed Big Mac's life.

* * *

He was alone, finally letting the grief overcome him in the privacy of his own room. For what felt like hours, he let the pain and sadness drip out of him in tiny drops of water, but no matter how much time passed it didn't seem to be getting better.

A soft knock on his door caused him to go silent, and it was followed by a soft, "Big Mac?"

He wiped his eyes and cleared his throat, recognizing Pinkie's voice. "Um, yes?"

"Are you alright in there?" she asked with concern. He was silent, not knowing how to answer, and she followed with, "Can I come in?"

He took a couple deep breaths and wiped his face again. "Yeah, y'all can come in."

The door opened just a bit and she slipped into the dark room, her motions silent. After closing the door, she turned around to look at Big Mac as he sat on his bed.

He took in the sight of her in the soft moonlight, her fluffy pink curls of hair draping over her neck, shoulders, and back. Though a year younger than him, she was already beginning to grow into the beautiful woman she would become. She was no longer the skinny, malnourished girl he had found so long ago...instead, she was a beautiful young woman with a smile warmer than Celestia's sun. Her pink "ice cream" pajamas complimented her personality perfectly, and her blue eyes were bright and sparkling in the lunar light.

As she walked over and sat on his bed beside him, she offered no promises that "everything will be alright". By experience, she knew it would be a lie...but she also knew that he didn't need to handle it alone. He had spent the entire day being strong for everyone else, so she knew he needed time to be weak and vulnerable...to truly grieve.

And so, she hugged him tightly...and the dam burst.

Big Mac couldn't stop himself as the tears began to fall. What he wanted at that moment was for someone to tell him ‒ to _lie_ to him ‒ that everything was going to be alright. He knew Pinkie better than that though...he knew she would never lie to him about anything. He knew that she knew he didn't need lies to make him feel better, even if he wanted them. What he wanted right then was his father and mother to show up, telling all of them that it was a mistake and they were really okay. He wanted everything to go back to normal and for the world to make sense again.

He received none of that...instead he received a soft, affectionate kiss on the cheek.

He slowly opened his eyes and turned his face to meet her gaze, and was awestruck at the sight before him. Many times when he was working he'd thought of Pinkie as "hot" or cute, but only that night, for the first time, could he honestly say she was beautiful. For the first time he saw her as more than just his friend, or the cute girl that lived with them. Instead, for that night, he was in pain, and she was his guardian angel.

* * *

As much as everyone thought otherwise, the two had never actually been together in any sexual way. It was true that he and Pinkie had dated a bit on and off for awhile, but had always drifted apart for one reason or another. At first, it was because Big Mac had gone to college (much as the people of Ponyville didn't think so). When he had graduated, he had picked up with Pinkie right where they left off...but they were broken apart again when she chose to move out of Sweet Apple Acres, and into what was to become Sugarcube Corner bakery.

She never offered him a real explanation, at least by his count. She simply told him, "It's time for me to go now, Mackie. You don't need me anymore."

From there, they never really hit it off again. Both knew that they cared about each other, but for some reason, they just never saw the reason to actually "be together" again. That's not to say that the two weren't physically affectionate with each other when both were single, but they never crossed the barrier into a relationship again. Neither felt the need, as what they had was already perfect. Both knew they would never end up together in the end, but it was always nice to have someone that would loyally stay by your side no matter what.

* * *

A soft touch on the shoulder brought Big Mac out of his thoughts, and he turned his head to the right to see Pinkie Pie sitting down beside him.

"You know, if you were thinking any harder, I think smoke might start coming out of your ears." she commented with a grin.

He smiled at her and nodded. "Ah guess so. Ah was just thinkin' about tha past is all."

She tilted her head cutely, her soft pink hair bouncing as she did so. "What about?"

He sighed as he caught her cyan eyes with his own. "How we met...and all that stuff."

"Ooh, were you remembering Nightmare Night when we helped Luna fit in?" she asked excitedly.

The memory of that night made Big Mac blush...not so much because of the rather revealing outfit she had been wearing, but more so because of the fact that Princess Luna had caught him and Pinkie making out in front of the Nightmare Moon statue. It went without saying that the rather sheltered princess had been mortified, and he had spent the next few days praying that the night princess wouldn't arrest him for what she deemed "public indecency". She didn't of course, but it hadn't stopped him from worrying.

Big Mac shook the vision from his head before turning back to the woman in front of him. "Naw, that ain't it." He then cleared his throat and took a serious expression with her. "Anyway Pink, Ah need yer help. Ah got invited ta Princess Celestia's birthday and Ah need ta get her a cake."

Pinkie squinted a bit as she pursed her lips and gazed at the open air. "Hmm...a cake for the princess." She thought for a few minutes before her eyes widened and she let loose a bright smile. "I got just the thing, Mackie! I came up with a new design for a cake a month or two ago, but it's too big for a normal party...but for a _princess_..."

He smiled, glad that his friend had come through again. "Sounds good, but Ah need yer help with somethin' else too." Pinkie Pie was broken from her thoughts and looked at him as he continued. "Well, Ah need ideas fer a gift for tha princess."

She gasped and then frowned, slapping him on his shoulder. "The birthday is _tomorrow_, and you haven't gotten a gift yet?"

"Ah haven't had time!" he defended as he rubbed his shoulder, which from the sheer force of her blow he knew was going to bruise.

Thankfully for him she was well aware of how busy work around the Acres could be, so she dropped her look of scorn and settled for one of intense thought. "Hmm...so you leave tomorrow morning and you need a gift or two."

He nodded. "Eeyup. Ah was hopin' ta get somethin' unique that she'd really like, but Ah can't think 'a nothin'. Ah mean she's got a good couple thousand years on me, so Ah'm thinkin' it ain't gonna be possible ta surprise her."

She pursed her lips again as her brow furrowed. "Hmm...that _is_ a toughie." She thought for a few more seconds before looking back at him questioningly. "Have you thought of _anything_ yet? I mean you're her friend, so I think you might have a better idea than you think."

He shrugged. "Ah mean Ah got a few ideas, but nothin' Ah could do without some help from tha princess herself."

Pinkie tilted her head curiously to one side and asked, "Well what did you have in mind?"

He shrugged. "Well, Ah know Princess Celestia has a soft spot fer iceberries from tha north, but Ah don't know no one that can get 'em."

Pinkie giggled and swatted his shoulder playfully. "Oh Mackie, I can get those!"

"Wait, really?" he asked in disbelief.

She giggled and nodded. "Yeah! You don't make as many people smile as I do without making some _very_ valuable allies and friends. One of those friends happens to be a travelling merchant who specializes in hard-to-find things, like iceberries. If we take my car, we can meet him when he makes his stop in Manehattan and be back before the sun goes down."

Hardly anyone in Ponyville or Canterlot actually _drove_ full-sized cars, since most places could be reached on foot fairly quickly, but Pinkie was one of the few that owned one. In honesty the way she drove scared him, but if anyone could get him to Manehattan to meet this merchant in time, it would be her.

He nodded nervously. "Okay...sounds good, but Ah still wanna get her somethin' else." He thought for a few moments before stating, "Ah know she loves cider, so Ah guess Ah could bring her a barrel of it, but Ah still feel like it ain't good enough."

Pinkie thought for a few seconds before smiling. "Well what about you?"

He raised his eyebrow at her. "Ah don't know what ya heard Pink, but Ah ain't that kinda guy."

She giggled and shook her head. "No silly, I mean just you showing up to see her...spending time with her. The best gift for a princess like her is something she can't get anywhere else...you. No matter how long she's lived and _will_ live, there's only _one_ of you, and there will only _be_ one."

He brought his hand up and rubbed his chin, absentmindedly noticing he needed to shave again, before nodding. "That's actually a pretty good idea, Pink."

Again she giggled as she nodded. "I have my moments."

He brought his hand up and ran it through her hair, massaging her scalp in the way that he knew always made her happy. She hummed happily as she leaned against him, and he smiled. "Ah'm glad Ah got ya as a friend."

"And you always will, Mackie." she whispered affectionately. She then pulled away and said, "You go tell your family that you'll be gone today, and I'll finish up here and meet you at the farm in an hour, okay?"

He nodded with a grin as he stood up from the table. "Sounds good. Ah'll be ready."


End file.
